Thursday, December 31, 2015

As cliché as it sounds, where has 2015 gone? It seems like yesterday I started this space on the internet and here I am, still standing 107posts later! I honestly can barely believe how far this blog has come since February 2015, all thanks to you beauties!

If you've been around for a while you will know that I created it as a beauty blog, but obviously I soon realized I loved the camera and fashion too much to shy away from it. The obvious decision was to give fashion blogging a proper shot too and that was the best thing I could ever have done. My main goal has been to share my opinion on all things beauty and bring fashion that is affordable and accessible to every woman, taking into account the season’s hottest trends.

2015 has been just the beginning. Despite pamscalfi.com being less than a year old, I feel like I've been doing a good job so far. The feedback on each post and across other social platforms has been wonderful, I've been able to work with amazing brands and I've also been featured as an “Expert Blogger” here, which is one of my biggest blogging highlights so far!

Since the year is coming to an end, why not look back at all the outfit posts I've done here. That gives you a chance to read any that you have missed and you can also tell me which one was your favourite!

What's next, I hear you asking! Without a doubt, fashion has become a huge part of me and it is definitely how I want to keep things around here. I, of course, love all things beauty too so my make-up posts won't be going anywhere so do not worry! However I see 2016 being the fashion year for pamscalfi.com and it is definitely something I want to focus more on. I want my #LookOfTheDay posts to be bigger and better and that is something I will always strive for. Goodbye 2015, hello 2016!

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Can you tell I'm still in a festive mood? I don't want to let Christmas go just yet, so to drag it out as much as I possibly can before thinking about New Years which is literally a few days away, I thought I'd share what goodies had my name under the tree this year. Yes I know, Christmas isn't all about gifts but who can say no such things? I confess I did receive these a few days before and after Christmas which is why this post may be a little late but who's counting. I honestly love every single one so I couldn't not share them.

Both The Night Before Christmas set from Lush and Sweet Snuggles Bathing Set were given to me by Georgiana and honestly, everything smells so wonderful and looks so pretty I just want to keep everything in its box. Am I the only one who takes forever to actually use any cute stuff?! Clearly, Lush was a popular choice for me this year, perhaps because I've been saying I want to try more of their goodies, as the Candy Mountain Bubble Bar and the Frozen Bath Bomb were also sitting under my tree. I can't wait to unwind and give these a try, they certainly smell delicious and I'm sure they will come perfectly in handy for a bit of me time.

Fashion

Hints to the boyfriend seriously work guys. I've been very nonchalantly (may I add) hinting to him that I would quite like a designer bag for my birthday, but instead he got me one for Christmas and I have fallen more in love with him and it! Michael Kors handbags are a dream and I couldn't have asked for a better one given it is not a design you see on the street every day, making it unique and thus ideal for me. And to jump head to toes - literally- onto the rose gold bandwagon, mum read my mind and got me these gorgeous Rose Gold Superga Shoes. They are so right for party season; I've been wanting these for a little while as I find them the easiest way to step up any outfit so expect to see them lots on the blog in the upcoming year.

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Christmas has gone way too quickly this year, in the blink of an eye it was all over?! Despite this, I am still feeling quite festive and am looking forward to watching a few movies and still be in cute christmassy pjs for the next few days whilst enjoying the leftovers, given this particular Christmas consisted of tons of food which was much more than usual (what happened mum? Not that I am complaining!). Endless movies, visiting friends, dressing up, board games were thrown in the mix too, as well as a trip to the hospital (with my little brother; there seems to be a bug going round but all better now). With that minor setback, Christmas felt a tad rushed but even so, we as a family stuck together and celebrated Christmas' true meaning just like we do every year.

With a "What I got for Christmas" post follow up planned as the week commences, today I will leave you with the outfit I wore on Christmas Eve. If you remember my Christmas Party Fashion Inspiration post from last week, you will know that we Brazilians (or should I say Latinos?) begin celebrating Christmas on the 24th right up until the early hours of the 25th. We also dress up a little and pose for a few family photos, mostly to send to our relatives back in Brazil (Hi grandma!). This year I wanted something a little more glam, so instead of the usual red/silver get up I opted for a gorgeous black maxi dress with gold details, which I came across on good old Asos, and a bronze glitter eyeshadow which I've been looking for ages! All details can be found below. Merry Christmas!

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

With Christmas just around the corner, chances are last minute Christmas posts are populating your feed right about now so to give you a chance to read something other than that, I thought I'd talk about my latest purchase, an eyeshadow palette. I know what you're thinking, another nude palette?! I totally hear you. My make-up stash contains nothing but nude shadows but there is just something about them because I'm always drawn to a new one despite having similar shades already (yes I have my eyes on the Gwen Stefani palette at the moment too). I resisted purchasing this for quite a few weeks but finally gave in when I swatched it and needless to say, I fell in love with the shades and thus decided it simply had to be mine.

The Blushed Nudes Palette holds a combination of 12 shades ranging from rosy pinks to mauve-toned taupes and is quite clearly very similar to the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette, which happens to be my favourite palette of all time. You will agree with me that almost always the quality of the Nakeds is unbeatable, and with this palette the story isn't any different. However, even though the shadow quality doesn't live up to the Naked 3, amongst Maybelline's latest releases this palette wins it for me.

While this contains only one matte shadow (first row 5th shade from left to right), the mix of shimmery shades more than make up for it. The shadows don't contain names so it wouldn't be easy for me to describe what each shade looks like, but what I can say is that nearly all of them are smooth and buttery, and despite having a little fall-out, they apply and blend well and are pigmented given the drugstore nature. The shades also work well when layered yielding a nice colour-payoff and as with any other shadow, their pigmentation and durability can be prolonged with a quality eyeshadow primer. I have worn these for around 8 hours and the colours were very much still vibrant at the end of the day thanks to the UD eye primer. The only problematic shadow for me would be the last one, a deep plum which looks much more shimmery on the pan than when worn on the lids; a drawback I am willing to overlook given the £10 price tag.

Top Row (L to R)

Bottom Row (L to R)

Overall, I find this to be an incredibly affordable palette with a great mix of shadows not often seen in the drugstore world. They are ideal to add a bit of variety to everyday make-up looks as I don't want to be using my Naked 3 for work for example. This is a great alternative for that or if you are looking for a cheaper UD dupe. Additionally, it makes a great last minute Christmas stocking filler for the beauty lover in your life (or you!); available here for £9.99.

What do you think of these shades? Have anything similar in your collection already?

Monday, December 21, 2015

When it comes to Christmas, we Brazilians do things a little differently. We celebrate it both on the 24th, when we have a sit down meal at around 11pm and wait up until midnight to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, as well as on the actual day when we eat again and again and again and exchange our Secret Santa and other gifts. Christmas Eve is usually spent with a larger number of friends, and it is when we dress up like we are about to walk down the red carpet (I kid you not), whereas on the 25th I am happy to spend the entire day at home with our closest friends in cute (and comfy/stretchy may I add) pjs.

During the holidays last year, my family and I were in sunny Brazil so choosing an outfit wasn't too hard; a mini dress and a pair of sandals and I was good to go. This year the weather allows for something much more glamorous (am I the only one who thinks winter fashion is so much more chic?) and that is exactly what I am going for. I've bought 2 dresses and I simply can't decide which one to go with but these are some of my favourites when I was shopping for the one (or in this case the two).

Friday, December 18, 2015

Lists upon lists claiming to have the perfect Christmas gift for him/her/them are sure to be popping up on your feed a lot more this time of year. I am guilty of doing that myself (if you haven't read my From Steal To Splurge: Christmas Gifts for Her at Every Budget post, see here). But instead of putting out there yet another gifts idea post for someone else (I honestly cannot read another one without rolling my eyes), I thought I'd share what we, beauty & fashion bloggers most likely really want this Christmas.

1. More Make-Up

Let's get the obvious out of the way shall we? The Gwen Stefani Urban Decay palette is incredibly popular in the blogging community and despite containing many neutral shades we most likely already have in our stash, I am sure we have all thought of purchasing it anyway. That sensible voice in our head is telling us that we don't need it whilst the beauty blogger is screaming "gimme gimme"! Not to mention the Vice 4, the entire Charlotte Tilburty make-up collection as well as all of the gift sets make-up brands are doing this Christmas. MUST.RESIST. TEMPTATION.

2. More Things To Wear

When it comes to fashion my wishlist never ends. I must own about 14 pairs of boots, yet I am always drawn to a new pair that I simply "must" have. Not to mention, trying to keep up with all the amazing trends out there is not only expensive but also very space inefficient. For a minute let's imagine a world of endless supply of clothes, shoes, handbags and all sorts of accessories very neatly organised in a beautiful walk-in closet. Note to self: must get rich fast.

3. A Personal Photographer

Don't get me wrong, I love how helpful and willing my fiancé is when photographing me for the fashion part of Pam Scalfi. But more so than often, he has to work during weekends and I really struggle to get any outfit posts done without his help. It would be absolutely amazing to be able to afford having my very own personal photographer and be able to shoot anywhere, any time. A girl can dream, can't she?

4. Longer Daylight Hours

THIS! Snapping blog photos during the winter is absolutely the worst! Working full time means leaving the house before the sun is even up and getting home at dawn which results in a) dealing with poorly lit blog photos or b) taking photos in bulk during the weekend only to later realise they all look crap anyway. Lose lose situation really.

5. To Eat Like There's No Tomorrow...

...and not put on any weight this Christmas; this is by far the first on my list. I envy those who are able to eat whatever they want and still have an amazing figure, unlike me who by simply looking at food adverts (yes I'm looking at you M&S) manages to puts on a few too many pounds. With so much food everywhere on Christmas Eve and Day and continuous going out to eat, this will be very challenging and let's face it, almost impossible.. Hello holiday weight gain, goodbye size 10 jeans!

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

I debated and debated whether this was a post that was going to make its way to the blog. Why you ask, well the Glossybox this month wasn't a great one. But beauty blogging isn't all about showing what is glamorous and great now is it. Truths and opinions are there to be shared and despite reading around that some actually really loved this box, I just don't see it.

Featuring 6 items, this box aims to get us ready for the end of year party season and was done in collab with beauty blogger Really Ree. And despite coming in a gorgeous rose gold box which I will be keeping for sure to store bits and bobs, I've got one question for Ree, really?

I'm forever tired and sleepy thus my eyes are in desperate need of radiance. I've tried my fair share of eye roll-ons with all of them promising to soothe and hydrate delicate skin, and whilst some work and some really don't, I have yet to try this one to see if it lives up to its hefty price tag.

Meet the pretty but very watery nail polish from Cheeky, a brand I had never heard of before forgive me. "Long-lasting, quick-drying and with a super glossy finish" are all adjectives chosen to describe this but say what?! Two coats barely gave enough coverage and I honestly do not see what is so festive about this shade. Pass.

Despite being a skincare product (which we seem to get one of every month), this is one I can actually get on board with. I'm all up for something that removes make-up, dirt and oil as well as tones and hydrates the skin. It is apparently award-winning and my skin more than deserves it at the moment. Favourite goodie in the box by a mile!

2 or 3 months back we had another So Susan highlighting pencil so not sure this was an ideal thing to add to this month's box because I've hardly touched it. But being a crazy highlighting addict, this is very pretty and will make strobing easier so I guess still worth having in my stash.

Essence is a brand I want to try more of next year but this is one product I will steer clear of. Claiming to give the coverage of a lipstick with the shine of a gloss, I find this sticky and sheer. We want something long lasting and comfortable for Christmas, and this is not at all what I had in mind.

This is an extra product in the box so I can't really complain much but £8 for a face mask is a bit much, no? Might come in handy after New Year's Eve festivities as it aims to pep up the skin and revive tired complexions, and I will take all the help I can get. Go hard or go home, am I right?!

What do you think of this box? Anything that catches your eye?
As I said before, my favourite is the cleanser and the mask isn't so bad either, oh and the actual cardboard box is gorgeous too. But overall, quite a disappointing box that will hardly get me in the party mode with thin nail polish and sticky lipgloss...*sigh*

Let me know what you think below beauties!
Thanks for reading as always and speak to you soon.